Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-01

Without utterlng word to the aston
ished PekitO, who for an instant SCENE
spell-bouud py the bOldness of the act
without glanCing at the host Of warriors
or even speaking to the maden-he lifte
her upon the back OF the black courser
himself mounting me other, and with
yell of triumph, bounded away from tn
terrible spot.
Only for a moment were the surprised
Lipans silent and quiet. Then their fear
full cries Of disappointed rage burst fort
then their bows were quickly strung
and the vel Of pursuit heard. But thei
hoses were not at hand; and in q mo
menS LagOua and the rescued girl wer,
beyond their reaCh-speeding lar away
like birds upon the wing, over the almos
Doundiess prairie.
"The Comanche dog shall pay for he
with his own sc&l0!" shouted Old Lazaro
the head chief Of the Lpans' and fatheI
, Of Peklso. dig up the hatchet, u
braves OF the Lipans-sharpen YOU
knives, for the Comanches shall drink
blood"
And his words were received with ap.
proving shouts; for his warriors were
maddeued At The audacity of him who
had robbed them Of their captive and the
pleasure OF witnessing her death agUnies
And they fastened to prepare for The
warpath and to pursue Lagona and mis-
prize.
CHAPTER III.
-, Not many miles from the camp of,the
Lipans, at the very hour wheG Lagopa so
CALAMITY bore their intended victim away,
an armed force OF the most gallant and
| desperate men in the known WOrld-the
far-famed Tsxan Rangers-was riding
slowly over the prairie; slowly, for their
horses seemed jaded with long aud hard
travel; aHd must of housekeeping only
few led fav)rites, belonging to the Off
GERS and kept for an hour Of need-c0uId
scarcely be spurred out of g walk.
At the head Of the party, beside him
VINO seemed to be the leader, rode an old
man whose face expressed great sorrow
and q look Of despairlDg agony. By
| his dress he did not seem to be-
! long TO the raDgers-for they were
ruGeIy uniformed, and splendidlY armed
! with rifles aud revOlvers, as well as heavy
| bowie knives. But he was in the dress
| usually worn by opulent southern plant
ers, and carried q handsomely mounted
! double barreled fOwling pieCe-a weapon
which would be utterly useless in savage
| combat, except at very close quarters.
81 fear that we must enCamp yOnder
grovc!" said the leader to the person
last described. "There is water and
timber there, and cur horses are fairly
run down"
Ard he pointed to belt OF timber in
| the distance which rose on the banks Of
one of the branches Of the San Saba.
"Oh, for Heavens sake! don't talk Of
stopping until we find my poor Stella
! Major Benz" said the planter 10 the
chief OF the rangers.
"My dear Mr.. DeIOrme. l would not
! if it were possible for me to keep on"
said the officer, with feeling. "But our
horses are SO used up by this rapid and
continued march that If we were to over
haul the Indians, they could with ease
escape Us. By the signs which have
! fresnened every hour to-day, we are near
them, and ought TO be in trim for q bang
| up fight; for the Lipans are tough; I've
tiled them!"
"Ah, Major, if you had an only child the
! jewel Of your heart, in their power, you
would not chide me for impatience.'
81 do not chide, only counsel means
to insure our success. By another day
we can surely Overtake them, and if our
animals are all right We can whip a
! thousand Of them"
"What? With on,v seventy meu?"
"Fhe rangers never count their foes
until they stop TO take their scalps," said
the major quietly.
MAJOR McCu Tough, there is some
thing cuppeTish over there to the south
east" said an old ranger, who had been
scouting few hundred yards in advance,
and had drawn up his horse to await his
| leader.
And he pointed to a speck in the
| distance, which seemed to be moving
rapidly over the prairie, but whether 1t
was buffalo or y human being could not
be easily distinguished even by the ex-
perienCed eye of a ranger, unaided by
artificial means.
The Major quickly,unslung q small field
telescope which he carried at his side,
and adjusting the focus raised it to his
eye. His eyes flashed and CLEAN of
pleasure fitted over his weather-beateR
face as he fixed his glance upon the
distant object.
Bring up the led horses" he cried.
"Let every man who has not spare
horse discount and let his beast
Dreathe!"
"What do you mean, Major? For
Heavens sake speak, Is it sign of my
child?' asked Mr.. DeIorme.
"Wait, Sir-wait until l can speak
With certainty" said the ranger; and
now he looked beyond the first object
to 3 cloud, evidently of lust, behind
them.
The planter fairly trembled with anx-
iaty. At last he again asked the Major
what he saw.
"Two persons riding at full speed and
followed far behind by crowd, Judging
from the dust they kick up" answered
the latter.
care they pursued Indians?"
zone is-the other is dressed in white /
and looks like woman; but they both |
ride as swift as lightning"
"My heart tells me that it is my
Stella!" cried Mr.. Delorme; and he
madly spurred mis- jaded horse and trIed |
to urge him onward.
But the horse, too tired to make even .
an efJrt. stood with dropping head and .
bore the CALLING sour without tiinChing.
Take fresh horse, Mr.. Delorme; we |
will soon see into the matter" said the
Major kindly.
The led hOrses-saven or eight in num-
beT-were now brought up, and the
Major, mounting one, assigned another
TO the planter and the rest TO the most
and daring OF his followers.
Then, after giving directions 10 those
who were TO remain behind to prepare
Ter battle, he led the way toward the per-
sons whom he had seen, at full speed
But, fast as he rode, the planter kept
close by his side, end the rest of his men
kept well up.